SideBar (edit)Associated Sites |
Location July 1935: Location February 1950: The long history of the Coblentz bag company began in 1935, flying in the face of the Depression and business stagnation. The July 1935 Luggage and Leather Goods heralds the opening of the new Coblentz handbag factory.  A news story on page 60 of the same issue provides more details.  Art Deco Style display ad on page 75, August 1936 issue of Luggage and Leather Goods. Important members of the firm listed are Louis Coblentz, Irving Schoenholz, Arthur Isaacs and Kenneth Simon.  Vogue ad from 1938 features a Coblentz bag for Holiday giving in the upper left corner.  They exhibited at the Fashion Flair 1947FashionFair, June 12, 1947 at Madison Square Garden. "Handbags Illustrated" July 1947 page 56 In October 2005, I was delighted to find a web site by Walter Grutchfield 14TH TO 42ND STREET that documents painted signs on building exteriors from 14th to 42nd street in New York City. Since the handbags industry was grounded here in early to mid-20th Century, I hoped the site would provided a glimpse of the real places and Walter exceeded my wildest hopes! This document of Industrial Americana can be found on the side of 30 E. 33rd St., the Crystal Building near Madison Ave. This picture was taken by Walter in 2002.  Walter Grutchfield's site includes the following details about Coblentz Bag Co. Please visit the site at 14TH TO 42ND STREET "Coblentz Bag Co. moved to 30 E. 33rd in 1938, where they remained until going out of business around 1980. Louis J. Coblentz, born France 1896, was the founder." This delightful black satin Coblentz bag graced the front cover of the Second Anniversary issue of Handbags Illustrated, July 1947. It was listed as style 3509 and wholesaled at $14.25 per dozen.  The 1950s Display ad in the February 1950 issue of "Handbags and Fashion Accessories," page 75.  Vanity Fair Ad 1951  There is nothing smarter than a Bag by Coblentz Bags for Spring 1956 were presented on January 3, 1956 by agreement as a member of the National Authority for the Ladies Handbag Industry. 1956NationalAuthorityMembers Categories: Makers |
